The Nokia 830 is the last “Lumia” device for the Nokia branding. This phone was release a few months ago, as a mid to flagship device. It sports a lot of very new tech, with some lagging behind as well. But do some of those lagging features really matter? Let’s take a look.

Other – Cortana also came out of Beta with this phone, available to now the US, Canada, Australia and India.

Have You Met My Friend Nokia?

If you’re at all familiar with the tech world, you will know the name Nokia. It carries its own memes, where people show how “tough” the original brand really was in the real world. I really feel this aspect of their phones really has stayed true. Even with the acquisition of the Nokia mobile unit, they still keep it feeling like a true “brick” of a phone. Which is actually a really good thing.

I’m an owner of the iPhone 6. I swear it should be able to float to the ground with how light and delicate it is. But it doesn’t unfortunately. Playing the Lumia 830, I’ve grown to feel the lack of that anxiety you get taking the phone out of your pocket to use it, praying you don’t drop it or get it knocked around. This phone is solid.

The Gritty

The Lumia 830, bringing quite the specs to the masses, with a very solid OS seems to please most of the masses. But it doesn’t seem to get the most of the drooling zombies, who follow The Next Best Thing(s), whatever those might be. I like the fact it’s got the amazing camera technology that it has. This is a good thing for the mobile consumer. 10-Megapixels on the rear, with the Zeiss Optics and PureView seal of approval this is an above standard pick of your mobile cameras.

The best way I can describe this phone, is by the people I know who might own it. Like I said, I own an iPhone. Not by choice, but to make my wife happy, I need to have something I can relate to when troubleshooting why something just isn’t working right on her phone. My mother-in-law owns a Lumia. She loves it. It’s simple, and solid. When her grandson visits, she can take amazing pictures and share them a million times through Facebook. She gets this phone because if it’s simplicity and ease of use. That’s the market this phone is perfect for.

Now this phone is not considered Nokia’s flagship at the moment, since there are numbers higher on the model scale. But it does a really good job at fooling you that it really could be. I mean, the lacking part of the phone is the display. Not the size, but its resolution. Let’s be real here, does that even matter? 720p on a 5in screen is perfect. You can’t see any better than that.

The way Microsoft is using the Nokia mobile unit to showcase their versatility to their OS is very appealing as well. I must say I get pretty jealous when they show features that only an Xbox One can do with their Windows phones. But you know they aren’t the type that won’t share their true treasures. *cough* Blackberry BBM *cough*. They shared Remote Desktop with Android and iOS before it was even available on a Windows phone if I recall. That shows a lot.

Finish Rant Here

If I could, I would build an app and make sure it’s on every ecosystem available. But that’s just not how it all works. We need to have the diversity, to give the marketplace new room. If we had everything on every phone available, then no one would the chance to say why their phone is more superior to the next. Now only if they can take this phone to the right market, then we will have a true winner here.

Availability

If you’re on TELUS, this is currently $0 in a 2-year term with all the fixins on requirements needed for that price. Or $500 for a no term you buy, we serve kind of situation.

]]>http://edwardthebrand.com/mobilenorth.ca/2015/03/03/review-nokia-830-on-telus-mobility/feed/0Tips and tricks for the Asus Zenbook.http://edwardthebrand.com/mobilenorth.ca/2015/01/05/tips-and-tricks-for-the-asus-zenbook/
http://edwardthebrand.com/mobilenorth.ca/2015/01/05/tips-and-tricks-for-the-asus-zenbook/#respondMon, 05 Jan 2015 20:17:15 +0000http://mobilenorth.ca/?p=5054Take a look at the Zenbook by Asus. Mitch shows us some helpful tips to make life easier.

]]>http://edwardthebrand.com/mobilenorth.ca/2015/01/05/tips-and-tricks-for-the-asus-zenbook/feed/0How To: Using the Multi Window Features of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3http://edwardthebrand.com/mobilenorth.ca/2014/12/31/how-to-using-the-multi-window-features-of-the-samsung-galaxy-note-3/
http://edwardthebrand.com/mobilenorth.ca/2014/12/31/how-to-using-the-multi-window-features-of-the-samsung-galaxy-note-3/#respondWed, 31 Dec 2014 14:33:57 +0000http://mobilenorth.ca/?p=5044The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 allows users to have two apps open and visible at the same time. Here, we show you how to use this feature and a few neat tricks.

]]>http://edwardthebrand.com/mobilenorth.ca/2014/12/31/how-to-using-the-multi-window-features-of-the-samsung-galaxy-note-3/feed/0How To: Using the Power Saving Features of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3http://edwardthebrand.com/mobilenorth.ca/2014/12/31/how-to-using-the-power-saving-features-of-the-samsung-galaxy-note-3/
http://edwardthebrand.com/mobilenorth.ca/2014/12/31/how-to-using-the-power-saving-features-of-the-samsung-galaxy-note-3/#respondWed, 31 Dec 2014 14:31:08 +0000http://mobilenorth.ca/?p=5035The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is full of features. Here, we show you how to use its unique power saving features!

]]>http://edwardthebrand.com/mobilenorth.ca/2014/12/31/how-to-using-the-power-saving-features-of-the-samsung-galaxy-note-3/feed/0Moto X review and tipshttp://edwardthebrand.com/mobilenorth.ca/2014/12/09/moto-x-review-and-tips/
http://edwardthebrand.com/mobilenorth.ca/2014/12/09/moto-x-review-and-tips/#respondTue, 09 Dec 2014 13:33:00 +0000http://mobilenorth.ca/?p=5027Overall the Moto X is a nice functional phone.
The Moto 360 watch is a stylish timepiece that has some unique features but lacks user input and personalization to really make an effective tool on your wrist.

Moto X

Here are a few tips that I picked up and could be helpful.Set your day and night times.It will automatically engage silent modes during sleep time. No more switching modes everyday.

Teach it voice commandsYou can teach the moto function voice commands so you can ask it to do things without having to touch it. This is similar to the latest iOS 8 update for Siri.Talk to it, instead of typing.

Moto x will learn your call, I taught mine to activate the voice command when I said “Hello Moto”The more you use it the more it learns your words and phrases.Sometimes it can be a bit sensitive as it would activate when people were talking on the radio in the car for example. Then be asking me to repeat my request. The home screen Google is responsive to the voice command for anything and everything you could imagine from weather to sports or news to gas stations.Predictive text is a nice function that speeds up messages or text input. Since most users also have a cloud integration like Google drive, the interactions that this phone will have for data input are much more than emails and texts. The proximity sensor is nice to have to see if you have any new messages without having to pick up the phone.Size and weight comparable to the iPhone 6. Screen size is within millimeters to the iPhoneThe curved flat black back with gunmetal trim make it notably masculine.The camera has no self timer and the quick capture mode which is supposed to open the camera when you shake it twice never worked for me.

mobilenorth.ca

Moto 360 and Android wear
I set up and paired the Moto 360 to the Moto X using the Bluetooth link.The two items linked easily and were quite simple to set up. You select which items or apps the phone will push and then those cards are pushed to the watch.The screen size limits the margins of text of inbound messages and for long emails it was not really usable. It is nice for short texts and emails.

mobilenorth.ca

Voice recognition was spot on each time I used it. When a message is inbound it gives you a short vibe and you can flick the message away or select more, or open it on the phone.You can also see an incoming call, but need to answer it on the phone device.The watch has seven different faces, one for each day of the week. It also has a stopwatch, countdown timer, reminder, calendar, pedometer and other fitness functions.The fitness functions are quite basic. If your fitness goals are to be more active than this watch might be able to help you with that.If you want any specific targets for heart rate zones or cardio fitness you will have to go find an app for that. Its fitness goals were for 10000 steps per day and 30 mins of cardio activity and it will track that for you.The heart rate monitor is accurate and keeps a record of your heart rate to compare. For example if you take your heart rate every morning at the same time you will be able to do a quick comparison to the previous day.The battery lasts about a day, and needs an overnight charge once per day. When charging it engages a night mode for bedside table use.I took the watch to another country, and the phone remained with data roaming off, and never updated to local time, despite the “automatically update” function being on Overall a nice timepiece, but I think that Motorola has lots of work to do on the software side of the product.

]]>http://edwardthebrand.com/mobilenorth.ca/2014/12/09/moto-x-review-and-tips/feed/0Apple brings WatchKit software to developers for the upcoming Apple Watch.http://edwardthebrand.com/mobilenorth.ca/2014/11/19/apple-brings-watchkit-software-to-developers-for-the-upcoming-apple-watch/
http://edwardthebrand.com/mobilenorth.ca/2014/11/19/apple-brings-watchkit-software-to-developers-for-the-upcoming-apple-watch/#respondWed, 19 Nov 2014 13:11:25 +0000http://mobilenorth.ca/?p=5020 “Apple Watch is our most personal device ever, and WatchKit provides the incredible iOS developer community with the tools they need to create exciting new experiences right on your wrist,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “With the iOS 8.2 beta SDK, developers can now start using WatchKit to create breakthrough new apps, Glances and actionable notifications designed for the innovative Apple Watch interface and work with new technologies such as Force Touch, Digital Crown and Taptic Engine.”This set of tools for developers will bring a new era of applications, to a device that will surely jumpstart the wrist device category. It’s not that Apple was the first to do this. They are probably behind a few dozen other wrist wearable gadgets from the past few decades. But it’s how Apple decides to roll out the WatchKit tools, and APIs that make it unique.
The tools will offer the developers the chance to build apps that improve our efficiency with our everyday lives, more then we currently can. It will give us the experience that I feel, most are truly looking for. Whether it’s getting the latest hockey scores, liking your sister-in-laws favorite dessert on Instagram, or just checking the status of a flight. The Apple Watch will be seamless. All because of how it provides premium tools to its developers to create fluent apps.
The iOS 8.2 SDK, which includes the WatchKit tools, is available immediately at Apple’s developer site: (http://developer.apple.com/watchkit). There are guides, templates, and more to be able to create apps.
Apple has also announced a few requirements, and features of the watch itself. It will require iPhone 5 or later to work. They have also released the specs of the screen size options. Which oddly mimic the difference from the new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. It will be offered in 38mm, which is 340×272 and the 42mm model, which is 390x312px resolution. To compare, the Motorola Moto360 watch features a 205ppi 320×290 resolution.
]]>http://edwardthebrand.com/mobilenorth.ca/2014/11/19/apple-brings-watchkit-software-to-developers-for-the-upcoming-apple-watch/feed/0Review: Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4http://edwardthebrand.com/mobilenorth.ca/2014/11/05/review-samsung-galaxy-tab-s-8-4/
http://edwardthebrand.com/mobilenorth.ca/2014/11/05/review-samsung-galaxy-tab-s-8-4/#respondWed, 05 Nov 2014 01:33:53 +0000http://mobilenorth.ca/?p=5008Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 Review
Let me start off by laying out the most important part of any review. The specs.
We have an 8.4”, 2560 x 1600 Super AMOLED screen staring in your face. Behind the scenes, there is an
Exynos 5 Octo 5420 CPU, 3GB of RAM, and 16GB of Storage with an optional Micro SD slot as well. As
most tablets, it comes with Bluetooth 4.4, a solid battery of 4900mAh as well which will last you quite a
long time.
It surprisingly boasts a really nice camera setup as well. With an 8MP camera on the back, and a 2.1MP
on the front you actually can use this to take quite the array of memories. I liked the crisp clear screen
being a +1 to its camera as it gave you a really nice view to what you were taking a picture of. I found
the front to be a bit grainy, but be real here, you’re using a camera with a bit less mega pixels then the
camera you used to chat with your MSN crush. It’s meant to take those selfie quick shots, and keep your
kids entertained as to how they magically appear in this little 8-inch box they are holding.
Now, Samsung tends to forget quickly about its predecessors and move onto bigger and mostly better
things. This tablet packs all the essentials you would expect in today’s market, but what stood out for
me was the AMOLED screen that I got to stare at for the past week. It would be an understatement to
say that it is amazing. It’s actually really quite remarkable. It displays gorgeous contrasts and colors. The
key feature I really admired was the viewing angle of the screen. At a sharp angle you don’t lose sight
of what’s showing for you. Which is great for children, who like to hold it at angles I didn’t know existed
while slouching as they watch their favorite cartoon show.
The tablet itself, weighing in a whopping 294g, does feel rather solid. Which is surprising. I didn’t
however like the lack of grippy-ness to the tablet itself. I own other tablets, but I felt this one slipping
more than the others in the hands, or just simply on my lap. I would definitely suggest a case or a
wraparound that will give this tablet more of a grip when on the go. Also, will protect it from those
times you are in a rush and just throw this in your bag, or your purse.
For features, the Galaxy S tablet comes loaded. Like mentioned, it has Bluetooth and the latest iteration
of Android. But it also carries a fingerprint scanner. Which I actually didn’t know until a co-worker had
mentioned this to me. It took several scans to ‘lock’ my print in, and I kept it for a day or two to try it
out. I actually didn’t prefer this feature, but I can see how it can be a cool way to keep others out. I
didn’t like how sensitive this is, but again, that’s a good feature for most people.
Other notable features include the IR feature to control your Samsung TV with their custom app.
This is actually a really cool feature, as my 76 year old Grandmother uses it, and that’s got to tell you
something about the ease of use. Now, if I could only get her to setup her own Wi-Fi printer, then she
would be the Queen of Tech.
Samsung does go all out and use a very nice brushed gold finish around the edge, giving the illusion I
spent this month’s mortgage on it. Which I didn’t because this beast costs about the same, if not less
than its competitors at $399 MSRP. Which isn’t too bad in today’s market to do what it can do for you
and your family on the go.
In closing, Samsung does make this phone tablet work very well for you. Wait, did I say phone? Oh,
that’s because they did a really good job of mimicking their Galaxy phone line. Which actually is a nice
feature. Apple does this of course each and every year, and I for one, like it. I think it gives you a simple
way of moving through your day and being familiar with your tech. It also is very cool to match, duh.
This tablet also features a sort of ‘picture-in-picture’ feature, it allows you to control every part of your
phones functions on your tablet. Which is nice sometimes when you just want to have a slightly larger
screen then you already get with the Samsung Galaxy phone line. It performs really well, and quite
frankly, the simple tasks a tablet needs to do… well it should do really well with no hiccups of course.
With the extra power this tablet carries, it will easily complete your tasks needs and keep the kid’s
happy while on the go. It will also keep your wife happy on the couch. Or yourself, when in a need to
do your phone work, on a nicer tablet when you’re enjoying the array of how your wife has stacked the
toilet paper in the bathroom.
All in all, this is a great tablet to buy. It would make a very solid buy and a great step up from anything
else on the market in the same spec category.
]]>http://edwardthebrand.com/mobilenorth.ca/2014/11/05/review-samsung-galaxy-tab-s-8-4/feed/0Samsung Canada Adds Powerful GALAXY Note 4 to Lineup of Devices.http://edwardthebrand.com/mobilenorth.ca/2014/10/15/samsung-canada-adds-powerful-galaxy-note-4-to-lineup-of-devices/
http://edwardthebrand.com/mobilenorth.ca/2014/10/15/samsung-canada-adds-powerful-galaxy-note-4-to-lineup-of-devices/#respondWed, 15 Oct 2014 19:21:35 +0000http://mobilenorth.ca/?p=4999Get ready! For those of you who have been waiting for this announcement, wait no longer! Samsung Canada has finally said what many have been speculating for sometime now. The GALAXY Note 4 is here!

MISSISSUGA, ON, Oct. 14, 2014 /CNW/ – Samsung Canada, one of the leading suppliers of smartphones to Canadians and category creator of the Note series, announced today that its most powerful and innovative device to date, the GALAXY Note 4, will be available to Canadians beginning October 24th. Featuring a superior viewing experience and powerful camera functionality, the GALAXY Note 4 provides users with one of the most unique, enjoyable and productive mobile experiences on the market. The device also adds something special to consumers’ smartphone experience with its evolved S Pen. Now Canadians can use the S Pen to add emotion, humour, clarity and style to their everyday tasks.

“Samsung Electronics pioneered the large-screen smartphone category through the introduction of the GALAXY Note series in 2011, and we remain the industry leader in this category,” said Paul Brannen, Executive Vice President, Mobile Solutions, Samsung Canada. “The new GALAXY Note 4 introduces the most refined Note experience to-date by featuring innovative technology including the enhanced S Pen which allows Canadians to add more of themselves to their mobile experience.”

Add emotion with the S Pen: With the reimagined S Pen featuring 2,048 touch pressure points, writing is more natural, allowing users to easily handwrite e-mails and texts, capture and edit meeting notes as well as add handwritten messages to their photos. Improvements to the S Pen mean it works with comfort and precision that is now akin to a computer mouse, making it easier to select and move information, resize windows, and drag and drop between different apps.
Add clarity to your content: Samsung continues to refine the S Pen experience with a more user-friendly Air Command functionality along with other intuitive features such as Action Memo, Screen Write, Image Clip and Smart Select allowing you to create and collect content.
Add your own style: The GALAXY Note 4 offers multiple, seamless note-taking methods integrated with the S Note application. In addition to typing and writing, the innovative Snap Note feature allows you to take a picture of notes on a paper or a whiteboard, and then quickly and easily convert to an S Note.
Powerful Performance. Powerful Productivity:

Do More than One Thing at Once: Due to its large screen, the refined Multi Window feature helps Canadians multi-task more efficiently by letting users choose how they access their applications with full, split or pop-up screens.
Bigger Selfies for Bigger Moments: The GALAXY Note 4 is equipped with a 16 megapixel rear-facing camera featuring a Smart Optical Image Stabilizer that counter-balances camera shake and automatically extends exposure time in dark settings. In addition, a 3.7 megapixel front-facing camera with f1.9 offers a default 90 degree shooting angle and up to 120 degree wide angle so users can get more friends and fun in frame.
Power-Up Fast and Stay Powered: Never miss that important call or text again. With the GALAXY Note 4’s Fast Charging ability, you can recharge quicker than ever. In addition, the Ultra Power Saving Mode¹ helps to maximize battery life, even at 10% charge, you can still receive calls and texts for up to 24 hours.
Keep the conversation going: Multiple microphones and an improved speaker phone for better noise cancellation when speaking in loud environments will help Canadians keep in touch. A built-in voice recorder offers eight different directional voice tags and a selective playback capability that allows users to isolate and listen to specific voices in a group conversation.
Stay more protected: The Galaxy Note 4 also offers an improved Fingerprint Scanner to secure personal data and a UV sensor.
Availability
The Samsung GALAXY Note 4 will be available in Charcoal Black and Frost White through major Canadian carriers and retailers starting on October 24, 2014. Additionally, pre-orders have begun. Please see carriers for more details.

¹ Ultra Power Saving Mode: Battery life will vary depending on power, applications settings and other factors. The maximum capacity of the battery will decrease with time and use.

2G Battery Life Talk time
Up to 36 Hours
2G Battery Life Standby Time
Up to 655 Hours
3G Battery Life Talk time
Up to 21 Hours
3G Battery Life Standby Time
Up to 649 Hours
Battery Life: Music Playback
Up to 73 Hours
Battery Life: Video Playback
Up to 12 Hours

]]>http://edwardthebrand.com/mobilenorth.ca/2014/10/15/samsung-canada-adds-powerful-galaxy-note-4-to-lineup-of-devices/feed/0Review: Galaxy S5 (VIDEO)http://edwardthebrand.com/mobilenorth.ca/2014/10/01/review-galaxy-s5-video/
http://edwardthebrand.com/mobilenorth.ca/2014/10/01/review-galaxy-s5-video/#respondWed, 01 Oct 2014 10:42:49 +0000http://mobilenorth.ca/?p=4992
]]>http://edwardthebrand.com/mobilenorth.ca/2014/10/01/review-galaxy-s5-video/feed/0Telus and Koodo get a new line up of phones and tablets.http://edwardthebrand.com/mobilenorth.ca/2014/08/21/telus-and-koodo-get-a-new-line-up-of-phones-and-tablets/
http://edwardthebrand.com/mobilenorth.ca/2014/08/21/telus-and-koodo-get-a-new-line-up-of-phones-and-tablets/#respondThu, 21 Aug 2014 13:25:05 +0000http://mobilenorth.ca/?p=4986Alcatel to bring One Touch Idol X+, One Touch

Pop Icon and Pop 8 Tablet to TELUS and Koodo

Yesterday, Alcatel announced it would be bringing these three devices to your local TELUS and Koodo outlets. This is

great news on all levels. Alcatel has broken ground in Canada before, with Bell and Virgin. But there is something about

this lineup that screams freshness to a market that so badly needs to have competition up here.

One Touch Idol X+

Specs and Thoughts

The One Touch Idol X+ is the flagship, go-to phone for your every need sort of consumer. So let’s break down the specs